Coil-terminal assembly machines



March 8, 1966 R. J. NADHERNEY COIL-TERMINAL ASSEMBLY MACHINES l 8 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. l0, 1962 March 8, 1966 R. .1. NADHERNEY COIL-TERMINAL ASSEMBLY MACHINES 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 10, 1962 March 8, 1966 R. .1. NADHr-:RNEY

COIL-TERMINAL ASSEMBLY MACHINES 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Deo. l0, 1962 NQ um QQQ QN. Nh

March 8, 1966 R. .1. NADHERNEY COIL-TERMINAL ASSEMBLY MACHINES 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 l Filed Dec. l0, 1962 March 8, 1966 R. .1. NADHERNEY COIL-TERMINAL ASSEMBLY MACHINES 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. lO, 1962 March 8, 1966 R. J. NADHERNEY 3,238,598

COIL-TERMINAL ASSEMBLY MACHINES Filed Deo. lO, 1962 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 www wh 1 il Q; o b2@ March 8, 1966 R. J. NADHERNEY COIL-TERMINAL ASSEMBLY MACHINES 8 Sheets-Sheet '7 Filed Dec. l0, 1962 TM ||fd| Il I' E @h2o EN@ mm @E n March 8, i966 R. J. NADHERNEY COIL-TERMINAL ASSEMBLY MACHINES 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Dec. lO, 1962 @QN .@vmmmql Sw J R UWN f Sw //A www@ QQ@ E@ .WW1 .mwmm! United States Patent 3,238,598 COIL-TERMINAL ASSEMBLY MACHINES Russell J. Nadherney, Wilmette, Ill., assignor to Robertson Transformer Company, Blue Island, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Dec. 10, 1962, Ser. No. 243,284 7 Claims. (Cl. 29-33) This invention relates to automatic and semi-automatic assembly machines, being concerned more particularly with those which are suitable for applying terminal members to wound electric Icoils to provide terminal access to the winding ends thereof.

The main object of the invention is to provide Va coilcarrying semi-automatic assembly machine arranged to receive a continuous succession of Wound coils and to carry them into and through a series of operational stations whereat terminal members are aixed to each coil and connected to the wire ends thereof in a succession of steps, some of which are semi-automatic While the others are automatic.

A more specific object is to provide a machine of the foregoing character in which the terminal members afiixed and connected are respectively taped-on lengths of insulated multi-strand wire with at least one end portion bared to have the bared terminal portion of a winding end wrapped around it, soldered on, cut to length, formed fiat against the taped-on terminal wire, and then covered with a further tape for insulating and mechanical-strength purposes.

One feature of the invention resides in an arrangement for carrying the received coils from a starting station to a finish station by a series of station-to-station movements each occurring during a selected interval, and stopping the coil movement at each station a stop interval materially longer than the movement interval, to allow time at each station for desired manual or semi-automatic operational steps to be performed thereat. In the preferred embodiment, a 4 to 1 geneva movement is employed in the driving apparatus.

A further feature resides in an arrangement effective at stations where manual manipulations are required for holding the carried coils at a first location and attitude which enhances such manipulations, and for suitably moving the carried coils to another location and attitude at stations where automatic operational steps are performed. In the preferred embodiment, the carried coils are rotated by cam action about 90 degrees between the first and the second location and attitude.

Still further features reside in the incorporation of the assembly machine of the invention into a compact generally circular table-like structure which (l) provides the noted stations at angularly separated locations around a circle for a minimum floor-space requirement, (2) provides speed regulation according to operator skill or varying assembly-time requirements of respective coil batches, and (3) provides for the machine to be stopped from control exercised from any operator position but to be started or restarted from only one operator position, as safety measures.

The foregoing and other objects and features of this invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent, and the invention itself will be best understood, by reference to the following description of an 3,238,598 Patented Mar. 8, 1966 ice embodiment of 4the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, comprising FIGS. 1 to 2l, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front View of an assembly machine according to the invention, with certain parts broken away or shown in section and with certain hidden parts shown in dotted outline;

FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 are respective top views taken along lines 2 2, 3-3, and 4-4 of FIG. l to show the structure at successive levels;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are full-scale top and front views of the cam-actuated structure of FIG. 1 for controlling the location and attitude of the machine-carried coils.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are full-scale front and top views of the automatic cutoff device CO of FIG. 3, which acts to cut wrapped and soldered connections to length;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are full-scale front and top views of the automatic forming device F of FIG. 3, which acts to fold and press the cut-to-length soldered connections into place for final wrapping; and

FIGS. 11 to 21 are full scale views of a coil which illustrate the various stages of operations performed thereon before it is pla-ced on the machine of the invention (FIGS. 11, 12), while it is on the machine (FIGS. 13 to 19)y .and after is is removed from the machine (FIGS. 20, 21).

(A) ASSEMBLY OPERATIONS-FIGS. 1, 2 AND 3 AND l1 TO 21 Referring first to front View FIG. 1 to the top view of the machine in FIGS. 2, 3, and to the coil View in FIGS. 11 to 21, the coil-terminal assembly operations will be described.

The machine has twelve equally spaced stations S1 to S12, 30 degrees apart around the machine, which has a fixed hexagonal top table TA, a counterclockwise rotating intermediate `table TB, and an underlying fixed table TC, with coil-holding fixtures F1 to T12 (items 78, FIGS. 3, 5 to 7 and 9) carried by brackets 79 of TC, to carry coils 220 of FIGS. 1, 3, 7, 9 and 11 to 21 from station to station.

A supply of wound coils 220, as of FIGS. 11 and 12 but without tape 225, is at or near station S1 (see FIG. 3), as in the open-top supply box 100. Four operators (usually girls) are used, ordinarily seated successively around the machine, as at seats or stools G1 to G4, FIG. 2. The seated operators may rest their feet on the foot rail 8 of FIGS. 1 and 4.

Briefly, as the table TB is rotated (counterclockwise as hereinafter described), the operator at G1 applies a Itape 225 to a coil 220 as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, and then places such coil on the fixture 78 then at station S1 or S2. As the coil-holding fixture 78 advances step by step to stations S3 to S6, the operators at G2 and G3, using -the tape 225 already applied to each coil 220, applies and tapes a pair of terminal conductors 230 and 240 to each coil 220 as shown in FIGS. 13 to 16, and wraps coil conductors 228 and 229 around the (-degree outwardly bent) bared ends of 230 and 240 to form wrapped connections 231 and 241 to each coil, leaving strainrelief loops 233 and 238 in conductors 228 and 229. As any thus prepared coil is rotated to and -through stations S8 to S10, it is tilted outwardly and downwardly about 90 degrees (by hereinafter described cam action operating on its fixture 78) to a horizontal position generally as shown in FIGS. 17 to 2l. As this tilted position is first being reached, the wrapped connections 231 and 241 are dipped in the fiux pot FP (FIG. 3) at station S8 to receive a coating of liquid (or semi-liquid) solder iiux. Following this, the fluxed connections 231 and 241 are soldered by being dipped into molten solder in solder pot SP (FIG. 3), just preceding station S9. Next, the soldered `connections 231 are cut to length as shown in FIG. 18 by the automatic cutoffv device CO of FIGS. 3, 9 and 10, following which the soldered terminals are formed. back against the outer coil surface by former F (FIGS. 1, 9 and 10) preparatory to a final insulating tape wrap.

The thus prepared coils 220 are brought back, by cam action, to initial upright position and attitude before station S11 is reached. The fourth operator, seated at station S11, on G4, removes the coil a-t station S11 or S12; applies a tight wrap of tape 243 (FIGS. 20, 21) to hold the terminal wires 240 and 241 more firmly in place, and to insulate the terminal junctions 231, 241 of FIGS. to 19; and places the completed coil 220 of FIGS. and 2l into a receptacle, such as the barrel 101 of FIG. 2.

Referring first to FIGS. 11 and 12, FIGS. 11 to 21 will be described in more detail. A coil 220 is a multilayered winding 221 as of about 29-gauge insulated wire, having outer and inner terminal ends 228 and 229 scraped or sanded to leave the wire ends 228 and 229 bare and clean for soldering. A length of cloth pressure-sensitive tape 225 is obtained by operator G2, as from tape machine TM1, and is applied to coil 220 as shown in FIGS. 1l and l2, with the sticky side to the left in FIG. 1l and to the front in FIG. 12. The coil 220 is then placed on a fixture 78 at S1 or S2 (FIG. 3), with the side shown in FIG. 12 outward.

Winding 221 of coil 220 of FIGS. 11 and 12 is wound on an insulating rectangular core tube 222, and is held in wound condition as by a thin covering 223, of paper tape, for example, to permit it to withstand such handling as it may receive before its terminal leads 230, 240 and tape wraps 225 and 243 are applied.

The operator seated at G2 (position S3, FIG. 2) selects one of a bundle (not shown) of prepared multi-strand terminal wires 230 (as from bin B2 of table TA), and wraps it tightly in place on the left end, forward side (FIGS. 13, 14) of 220, using the left end 226 of tape 225 for that purpose. She next lbends the bared end 231 forwardly (toward herself) about 90 degress (unless the bend has already been made in the prepared wire), and then wraps the end portion 228 of coil winding 221 tightly and spirally around 231, preferably leaving a slack loop 223 as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. These operations are quite readily performed within a four to five second interval during which the table TC remains stationary before carrying the coil of FIGS. 13, 14 to position S4 for the operator at G3.

The operator seated at G3, now selects a prepared terminal wire 240 (FIGS. 15, 16) from a bundle (not shown) which may be in bin B3 of FIG. 2, and tapes it tightly in place as shown, using the right end 227 of tape 225, and bends the bared end 241 about 90 as described for 231. Finally, she tightly and spirally wraps the terminal end 229 of the winding 221 around end 241 of Wire 240, giving coil 220 the general appearance shown in FIGS. '15 and 16, it'being now ready for the four S8 to S10 automatic operations, comprising flux dip, solder dip, cutoff, and form.

From before station S8 and until after station S10, the coil 220 is rotated about 90 degrees and lowered, to facilitate the noted automatic operations, this being controlled by the dotted-outline carn track of cam ring 41 (FIGS. 1 to 3). At 44 of FIG. 2, cam track 43 of fixed cam ring 41 moves inwardly before S8 is reached, and remains inwardly until after S10 is passed, lowering and turning coil 220 to the amount indicated in FIGS. 17 and 18.

A further sharp inward dip in cam track 43 occurs at 46, about opposite station S8. Accordingly when station S8 is reached, the lowered coil of FIG. 17 dips, causing the prepared wound terminal portions 231, 241 (FIG. 17) to dip into liquid fiux (in flux pot FP of FIG. 3), remaining so dipped throughout Ithe dwell at S8 (about 4.5 seconds).

When movement of the coil 220 from S8 occurs, the coil rises again to its FIG. y17 position, for fiux-dip portion 46 in cam track 43 is then left behind, and intermediate track portion 47 is reached.

Track portion 47 is followed by a solder-dip portion 48, located between station S8 and S9. When this portion 48 is reached, coil 220 of FIG. 17 is again caused to dip downwardly, this time momentarily. This momentary dip brings the fluxed terminal portions 231, 241 into the heated and melted solder in solder pot SP (FIGS. 1, 3), coating this prepared fluxed portion with solder, which solidifies quickly when dip portion 48 of the cam track is left behind to end the solder dip. At this time vthe lowered intermediate position of the fixture 78 and its coil 220 is resumed and is continued through positions S9 and S10.

When position S9 is reached, the soldered terminal portion 231 and 241 of FIG. 17 are brought to rest for a few seconds between the jaws of cutoff structure CO of FIGS. 3, 7, and 8, as shown in FIG. 7. During the dwell period at position S9, the cutoff device CO is momentarily activated to cut soldered terminal portions 231, 241 to length, removing excess portion 251 from each (228 and 229) as indicated in FIG. 7, leaving the terminal portions 231, 241 of the predetermined final length shown in FIG. 18, ready for the forming operation at station S10.

When Station S10 is reached by the coil 220 of FIG. 18, the cut-to-length terminal portions 231, 241 are brought into the field of operation of the roller 208 of former F (FIGS. 3, 9, 10) and held there during the dwell period at station S10. During this dwell period, the former F is actuated momentarily, to bring its springloaded roller 208 of FIG. 9 radially inwardly toward the center of rotation of table TB of the machine. Thereby, the terminal portions 231, 241 of 220 in FIGS. 9 and 18 are formed about degrees to extend to the left along the dotted arc 218 in FIG. 9, to lie closely against and substantially parallel to, the adjoining taped-0n portions of the terminal wire 230 and 241, respectively. The coil 220 then appears about as shown in FIG. 19, in readiness for removal from the assembly machine.

When the coil 220 is further moved counterclockwise from station S10, at the end of the dwell period thereat, the fixture on which it is carried is controlled by cam track 43 to rotate upwardly and inwardly to the upright fixture position indicated in FIG. 3 for fixtures 78 at positions S1 to S7 and S11, S12. This operation is controlled by the outward Sl-curve at 45 of cam track 43 (FIG. 2), between stations S10 and S11.

The coil 220 of FIG. 19 is removed from its fixture at station S11 or station S12 by the fourth operator, seated at location G4. She inspects this coil as she removes it, She then, if the coil is assembled correctly, procures a length of adhesive finish tape 243 (FIGS. 20, 21) from tape machine TM2 of FIG. 2 and applies it firmly over the previously applied tape 225 and the now-folded terminal portions 231 and 241 of FIG. 19 to provide the finished coil 220 of FIGS. 20, 21, and deposits the finished coil in receptacle 101 of FIG. 2.

(B) JVELDED FRAME ASSEMBLY-FIGS. 1 TO 4 Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the welded frame assembly 1 will now be described. The welded frame assembly includes the lower stationary table TC, above which intermediate rotating table TB and stationary upper table TA are supported.

The base assembly of frame 1 comprises an oblong structure which includes four inwardly facing channel bars, which are mitered and welded together at the corners. They are front and rear channel bars 2 and 3, and left and right channel bars 4 and 5. Intermediate channel bars 6 and 7 are welded at their ends to front and rear bars 2 and 3 to give rigid support to heavy base plate 11, which lies atop of bars 6, 7, and 5 (FIGS. 1 and 4) and is welded to each.

Central shaft CS for tables TA to TC is a heavy solid upright rod, which is received within heavy socket tube 14, welded to base plate 11. CS and 14 are pinned firmly together by close-fitting through-pin 15 which holds CS firmly against rotation. Socket tube 14 is sturdily braced by a pair of angular brace plates 16 and a pair of brace and support plates 17, seen in dotted outline in top View in FIG. 4. Plates 16 and 17 are welded to base plate 11 and to socket tube 14.

The base structure is supported on four angular weldedon feet 25 (FIGS. 1 and 2), each provided with a headdown levelling bolt 26.

Stationary table TC comprises an angle bar formed into a ring and butt welded as at weld line of FIG. 4. This table is supported by four legs L1 to L4 to which it is welded as shown for leg L1 in FIG. l. Legs L1 to L4 are supported on the base structure by feet plates 12 welded atop front and rear angle bars 2 and 3, each welded to its associated leg.

Foot rail 8 is preferably a welded-in-place length of tubing formed to include an arc of about 270 degrees, being supported by a pair of radial welded-on intermediate plates 9 at legs L1 and L3, and radial welded-on end plates 10 at legs L2 and L4 (FIGS. 1, 4).

A flat bar 18 (FIGS. 1 and 4) is welded atop support plates 17 to support the left end of the geneva-movement structure 140, the right end of which is supported by angle bar 19 of FIGS. 1 and 4.

Upright angle bars 21 are welded atop the front and rear right corners of the base assembly to form a support for welded-on front and rear side-support bars 22 across which welded-on bar 19 is placed to form a support for the right end of geneva-movement assembly 140. The top portion of upright bars 21 supports a pair of welded on angle bars 23 on which plate-like work table 24 is supported. The side bars 22 and 23 are supported by being welded to legs L2 and L4 and to upright bars 21 (FIGS. l and 4). Work table 24 may be bolted in place to support items FP, SP, CO, and F, shown in FIGS. l and 3.

(C) ROTATING TABLE TB AND BRAKE- FIGS. l TO 4 Rotating table TB of FIGS. l to 4 is a welded structure comprising a pair of concentric rings 51 and 53 interconnected by twelve radial spokes 52, all made of anglebar stock. The angle-bar stock of rings 51 and 52 is formed into a ring shape and butt welded at 27 and 28 of FIG. 3. Outer ring 51 is concentric with, and overlies, the ring of table TC as shown best in FIGS. l and 3, and spokes 52 are welded to rings 51 and 53 to lie on respective radii 30 degrees apart. Each supports a pair of mounting brackets 79 and 80 for fixture control hereinafter explained.

Table TB is rotatably supported on rotatable sleeve 55 for rotation about xed central shaft CS. Sleeve 55 has upper and lower sleeve bearings 56 and 57 (FIGS. 1, 3, 4) and an end-thrust supporting ball bearing S8, supported by fixed sleeve 72, pinned to CS at 73 (FIG. 1). Support disc 62 for TB surrounds sleeve 55 and is welded thereto. The reduced-thickness outer portion of disc 62 underlies the inwardly disposed upper web of inner ring 53, to which it is bolted by twelve bolts 63 of FIGS. 1 and 3 to attach TB to concentrically rotatable sleeve 55.

Rotatable sleeve 55 also supports sprocket wheel 60, through which table TB is driven as hereinafter described. The support is through disc 59 to which sprocket wheel 60 is concentrically secured by twelve bolts 61.

lthrough 66.

spaanse The lower end of rotatable sleeve 55, which supports table TB and sprocket wheel 60, has a brake ring 66 welded concentrically thereto (FIG. 1) as a par-t of brake assembly 74 of well-known construction. Inverted-cup brake member 67 is rotatably carried loosely by 66 through -a number of studs 68 carried concentrically by 67 and extending loosely into concentrically disposed openings Inverted-cup rotatable brake member 67 has a brake-lining member 69 secured thereto for a discbrake braking action against the upper annular surface portion of fixed brake disc 71, welded to fixed sleeve 72. This braking occurs when solenoid brake winding 7 0 fixed with sleeve 72 and disc 71 is energized, to quickly and smoothly end rotation of table TC when unclutched by the hereinafter outlined action of geneva-movement structure 140.

(D) FIXED UPPER TABLE TA AND CAM RING--FIGS. 1 AND 2 Fixed upper table TA is of welded sheet-metal construction, supported on the upper end of fixed central shaft CS by its surrounding sleeve 39, held fixedly in position by through bolt 40. TA is of gored hexagonal construction, including 6 upright joining and bin-definings member 30 which are each welded to support sleeve 39 and to adjoining inner and outer sheet-metal members 36 and 31. Each outer member 31 has a bottom portion 33 which terminates outwardly in an upturned lip 34 and terminates inwardly in an upstanding portion 32 that serves as the back wall of its associated one of the six bins B1 to B6 of TA. Each inner member 36 has a bottom portion 37 which joins sleeve 39 arcuately` and is welded thereto, and which underlies the inner portion of its associated outer member 31 and is welded thereto.

Each inner member 36 al-so has a downwardly and outwardly extending ange portion 38. The six flanges 38 each has two bolt holes therethrough, these twelve holes receiving the twelve mounting bolts 42 through which cam ring 41 is bolted fixedly and concentrically in place as a detachable part of the fixed assembly of table TA and sleeve 39, held in fixed position on CS by bolt 40.

Cam ring 41 -is shown in front section in FIG. 1 and in largely dotted-line top view in FIG. 2. Note its outer and inner circular limits 41a and 41b in FIG. 2. It contains a cam groove 43 machined into its lower surface, shown in front section in FIG. l and in dottedline plan view in FIG. 2.

Cam groove 43 contains twelve cam rollers 89 of the respective fixture control arms 87 through which the coilsupport fixtures 78 (FIG. 3) are controlled as hereinbefore outlined and hereinafter described. Groove 43 has its departure points 44 to 48 of FIG. 2 for the purposes and effects hereinbefore set forth.

(E) CAM-CONTROLLED STRUCTURE- FIGS. 1-3, 5, 6

The structure shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, 5, and 6 and controlled by cam groove 43 in the described fixed cam ring 41 will now be described.

This structure occurs at each of the twelve bracket pairs 79, 80 carried on the described rotatable table TB, one being shown in full-scale view in FIGS. 5, 6.

Generally U-shaped brackets 79 and 80 of any one of the twelve 36-degree separated pairs thereof `are held in place by screws 81 (FIGS. 5, 6) for outer bracket 79 (on rim 51 of TB) and screws 92 for inner bracket 80. Bracket 80 pivotally supports, at 94 a U-shaped suspension bracket 93, which, at 95, pivotally supports camcontrolled radially disposed rectangular control rod 87, which carries a cam roller 89 on its inner end, on shoulder stud 90, fixed in place in 87 by set screw 91, being one of the twelve rollers 89 extending upwardly part way into track groove 43 in fixed cam ring 41 of FIGS. l, 2.

Bracket 79 pivotally supports, at 83, a U-shaped suspension bracket 82, which further supports control rod 87 at pivot 84, carried by 82. The outer end portion of control rod 87 is rectangularly bifurcate to freely receive the inner end of control link 99, in surrounding relationship with pivot 84. Bracket 79 supports pivot 85 on which fixture arm 78 is centrally pivoted at the junction of its long and short arm portions 96 and 97. The short arm portion 97 of fixture arm 78 is bifurcate to provide a central aperture 98 for receiving the outer end of centrally located control link 99, link 99 and short arm 97 being pivotally connected by pin 86 carried by short arm portion 97.

In FIGS. and 6, parts 82, 93, 87, 99, and 78 are shown in the position they occupy as at the left in FIG. 1, when the cam roller is the cam track 43 in the outer position it occupies through positions S1 to S7, and S111, S12 of FIGS. 2 and 3. In these positions, the long arm portion 96 of any arm member 78 is upright as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, while the short arm portion 97 extends downwardly and outwardly at about a lS-degree angle from vertical.

When the fixture-control assembly of FIGS. 5 -and 6 is carried beyond position S7 of FIGS. 2 and 3, the portion of the cam track 43 then encountered by its cam roller 89 veers inwardly a substantial amount, carrying Vcontrol rod 87 inwardly a corresponding amount, along with link member 99, to assume a position about as indicated at the right in FIG. 1, wherein the rear side of the structure of FIGS. 5 and 6 is shown. This inward movement rotates the suspension brackets 82 and 92 of FIG. 5 counterclockwise about pivots 83 and 94 to a tipped position to the right corresponding to the FIG. 5 illustrated tipped position to the left. Fixture-arm member 78, during this inward movement, is rotated counterclockwise through about 90 degrees by link 99 to bring long arm portion 96 of arm member 78 to a generally horizontal outwardly extending position about as shown tc the right in FIG. 1, short arm 97 then extending inward ly and downwardly at an angle of about 45 degrees fron, vertical.

When either of the dip positions 46 or 48 (FIG. 2) of the cam track is reached, the cam roller 89 of FIGS. 5 and 6v is moved inwardly an increased distance, moving bar 87 and link 99 still further inwardly, causing a temporary further rotation of arm member 78 about its pivot 85, to dip the outer end of the arm member perhaps degrees further for the flux-dip and solder-dip purposes described hereinbefore. The dip, horizontal, and vertical positions of the arm member 78 are assumed in desired succession according to the cam-track portions successively encountered during the rotational movement -of any one of the twelve sets of fixture apparatus of FIGS. 1, 3, 5 and 6 during the rotative movement of the carrying table TB.

(F) DRIVING STRUCTURE FOR TB-FIGS. l, 4

Table TB is driven through sprocket wheel 60 of FIGS. 1 and 4 by motor 110, through the intermediary of structure including pulleys 121 and 130, V-belt 123, speed reducer 126, sprocket chain 135 (FIG. 4) geneva-movement 140, and sprocket chain 150.

Motor 110 may be a conventional 3-phase constantspeed motor with a conventional variable ratio V-belt pulley 121 which is belt-adjusted `through spring-loaded device 122 carried on motor shaft 120. Motor 110 is shown as having a pair of angle brackets 111 attached lto its casing to support it. They, in turn, are supported (FIG. 1) on a pair of longitudinal welded-on angle brackets 112, 113, which are grooved at the bottom for a guided left-right motor-sliding movement on a pair of skids 114, welded atop base plate 11. Left-right sliding of motor 110 is accomplished by turning adjusting bolt 115 in the desired direction through its wheel 116 and handle 117, adjustment` bolt-1115 -being threadedly engaged by the vertical 8 web of one or both of slide bars 112, 113, and being turnably supported in fixed brackets 118, 119, while being held in these brackets against longitudinal movement relative thereto.

For a higher speed of rotation of table TB, the motor is adjusted (by Ito 117) to move motor 110 to the left, to shorten the distance between the motor shaft 120 and the speed-reducer shaft 129, bringing the drive pulley 121 (FIG. 4) closer to driven pulley 13'0. The consequently reduced tension of the driving V-belt 123, permits the lspring-pressed pulley-adjuster 122 to force the sides of motor pulley 121 closer together, causing belt 123 to ride higher in pulley 121, which pulley is thereby caused to act as a pulley of larger diameter, whereby the lineal speed of `belt 123 is correspondingly increased, to increase the turning rate of pulley and of its shafts 129, of the speed reducer 126. Turning of adjustment structure 115 to 117 the other way, to move motor 110 to the right, has the opposite effect, slowing the rate of movement of the driven apparatus. Thus, for untrained or partly trained operators at one or more positions G1 to G4, the operational speed may be reduced, the speed being thereafter increased as desired as operator training progresses. With all oplerators well trained, the speed may be increased to turn out completed coils 220 at a rate substantially higher than 600 an hour, or ten per minute, the speed being limited by operator dexterity and ability rather Ithan by machine capability.

Speed reducer 126 of FIGS. 1 and 4, is an encased structure mounted below and to the rear of geneva-movement structure 140, as by being bolted by bolts 128 to plate 138, common to both 126 and 140. Besides pulley 130 and its shaft 129, speed reducer 126 includes a driving worm 131 mounted on horizontal shaft 129, and a driven worm gear 132 mounted on vertical output shaft 133 of the speed reducer. Shaft 133 extends upwardly through common mounting plate 138 and carries a sprocket wheel 134 (FIG. 4) located above plate 138 to drive genevamovement structure 140 through sprocket chain 135.

Geneva-movement structure 140 is secured -atop base plate 138, supported at the right on the horizontal web of angle bar 19, and on the left on flat-welded-on bar 18, to which base plate 138 is secured by bolts 139. Structure 140 is enclosed at the bottom, top, front, and sides, but is open at the rear Ito receive sprocket chain (FIG. 4) through which it is driven'. It comprises two vertical shafts, input shaft 141 at the left and output shaft 145 at the right. Input shaft 141 carries sprocket wheel 142 through which it is driven by speed-reducer sprocket chain 135, and carries geneva-drive wheel 143, which has a knob 149 for controlling geneva-driven wheel 144. Output shaft 145 carries geneva-driven wheel 144 within its semi-enclosed structure, and extends upward through the top plate of Ito drive the output sprocket wheel 146. Wheels 143 and 144 (on input and output shafts 141 an-d 145) are overlappingly related in a conventional 4 to 1 geneva-movement drive arrangement. The drive is preferably accomplished by a single driving knob 149 (FIG. l) dependent from drive wheel 143, and cooperating with four conventional inwardly arcuate drive grooves (not shown) in driven wheel 144. Once during each revolution of drive wheel 143, drive knob 147 enters the then associated one of the noted four grooves (not shown) in wheel 144, and drives that wheel through a l-quarter turn, following which wheel 143 makes the next 3-quarter turn thereof without further moving driven wheel 144, and again turns wheel 144 a l-quarter turn (through the next noted un-illustrated drive groove thereof), and so on.

Each such quarter-turn of geneva-driven wheel 144 imparts a quarter-turn movement to shaft 145 and to sprocket wheel 146, which acts through sprocket chain to impar-t a twelfth-turn 30-degree counterclockwise turning movement to sprocket wheel 60 and to the table TB, to which it is secured for the described station-to-station turning movement of table TB around shaft CS.

(G) CUTOFF STRUCTURE CO-FIGS. 3, 7 AND 8 The cutoff structure CO of FIG. 3 is shown in fullscale front and top views in FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG. 7 is taken lalong line 7-7 of FIG. 8. CO is mounted on Work table 24 by bolts 152, surrounded by spacing washers 153 which adjust the height of cutting jaws 175, 176 to cause soldered terminals 231, 241 to be cut to the desired length.

Structure CO includes an inverted U-shaped base plate 151 which has outwardly turned feet portions through which mounting bolts 152 pass, lfront and rear vertical U-arm portions 154, 155, and a raised bridging portion 156 on which front and rear angle brackets 158 and 159 are mounted by bolts 160. Bridging portion 156 has a large central clearance opening 157 for operating link 172.

CO is operated by the illustrated solenoid (FIG. 7) which includes U-shaped laminated magnetic frame 161, winding 162,' and laminated T-shaped armature 168 having top portion 169 and stem portion 164, attractable by winding 162 when the winding is energized. Solenoid frame 161 is held in place by four similar L-shaped brackets 165, secured by bolts 160 through bridge 156, and bolts 166 through frame 161. Winding 162 is wound on core 163, and is held in place between the upright arms of frame 161 as by bonding cement, 167 is a shock pad, as of a tough rubber compound, bonded to frame 161 to limit the stroke of plunger 164 of armature 168 to about 3/8 inch. The lower end of link 172 is received within recess 170 of armature 168 and held pivotally in place therein by pivot 171.

The cutting assembly is pivoted above bridge member 156 of frame 151, between front and rear brackets 158 and 159, on pivot 179. Similar U-shaped pivot brackets 177, 178 are welded to the intermediate inside portion of cutter bars 173 and 174, the arms of brackets 177, 178 being pivotally supported on pivot 17 9. Cutter blades 175, 176 are removably mounted on the upper end of bars 173, 174 for movement toward each other along the dotted-line arc 250 to a meeting point at the top of the arc. Four spread links are provided comprising (a) front and rear left links 183 pivotally attached at pivot 181, to left cutter bar 173, and (b) front and rear right links 184 pivotally attached, at pivot 182, to right cutter bar 174. All four links 183, 184 are pivotally attached, along with the upper end of operating link 172, to the floating pivot 180.

Normally, left and right coiled restoring springs 147, -attached at the upper end to the under side of bridge portion 156 of the base plate, and at the lower end to head portion 169 of armature 168, maintain armature 168 in its illustrated upper position, with link 172 acting through floating pivot 185 and spread links 183, 184 to hold the cutter jaws 173 and 174 in their illustrated open, spreadapart position. When any xture arm 78, with its attached coil-holding arm 79 on which a coil 220 is mounted, is brought to rest at station S9 of FIG. 2 and 3, the wrapped and soldered, but untrimmed, terminal portions 131, 141 (FIGS. 7 and 15 to 17) are at rest between the cutter blades of CO (FIGS. 6, 7) with the coil 220 about centered above such cutter blades, which are substantially longer than the coil to insure that both terminal portions 131 and 141 lie between them. Shortly thereafter, and as hereinafter explained, the solenoid winding 162 is energized for a substantial fraction of a second, attracting armature 168 downwardly against the tension of restoring springs 147, as until the lower end of armature stem 164 strikes pad 167. The consequent downward pull on operating link 172 by armature pivot 171 pulls floating pivot 185 downwardly, carrying the attached end of spread links 183, 184 downwardly. Links 183, 184 pivot about pivots 180 to 182, spreading the lower end of cutter bars 173, 174 apart, pivoting them about pivot 179. Cutter bars 173, 174 are thereby caused to move cutter blades 175, 176 mutually toward each other along dotted line 10 arc 250 to meet each other rmly at the top of the arc, thereby cutting excess portion 251 from each of the terminals 231, 241, leaving them trimmed to length as in FIGS. 9 and 18.

When the temporary energization of solenoid winding 162 is terminated, the magnetotractive force on armature 168 ends, permitting restoring springs 147 to restore armature 168 to its illustrated normal position, along with links 172, 183, 184, and cutter bars 173, 174.

(H) FORMER F-FIGS. 3, 9, AND 10 Former F of FIG. 3 is shown in full-scale front and top views in FIGS. 9 and 10, parts of FIG. 9 being sectioned. It comprises structure supported on base plate 185, fastened atop work table 24 at forming station S10 (FIG. 3) by mounting bolts 186, having spacing washers 187 through which itsheight is adjusted as desired. Former F is activated by solenoid structure comprising laminated magnetic frame 190, solenoid winding 210, and laminated T-shaped armature 196, 197. Frame 190 is held centered between screwed-on brackets 188, 189 by four through bolts 191 and eight spacing sleeves 195. Winding 210 is wound on tube 216 and may be bonded to frame 190, as is resilient stop pad 215 for armature stem 196. Horizontal operating link 199 is pivotally secured at its left end to armature 196, 177 by pivot 198 as described for link 172 of FIGS. 7, 8. Back-stop pins 200, 201 (extending between brackets 188, 189) determine the normal positions of the forming structure, urged to the right in FIG. 9 by restoring spring 194.

Structure F further comprises the inverted U-shaped swing bracket 203, pivoted at 204 between the upright arms of screwed-on mounting bracket 217. L-shaped restoring-spring bracket 192 has one arm clamped between 217 and 185, and has a sheared and formed tongue 193 around which one end of restoring spring 216 is looped, the other end of spring 216 being looped around the center of pin 218, extending between the arms of swing bracket 203. U-shaped roller bracket 207 is pivoted at 206 between the arms of 203, and supports forming roller 208 between its arms, on roller-bearing pin 209.

Roller spring 212 is secured between pins 213 and 214, carried by roller arm 207 and swing arm 203. It acts to hold roller bracket 207 normally against stop pin 211 carried by the arms of swing bracket 203.

When a coil 220 has left the cutoff station S9 of FIGS. 3, 7, and 8, it is brought next to forming station S10 of FIGS. 3, 9 and 10, whereat it remains at rest for a few seconds as described. During this rest interval, the coil 220 is held opposite and slightly above roller 208 as indicated in FIGS. 3 and 9, with the soldered and trimmed but unformed terminal ends 231, 241 of FIGS. 9 and 18 depending therefrom. During this forming dwell interval, solenoid coil 210 is energized for a substantial fraction of a second, whereupon armature 196, 197 is attracted to the left (FIG. 9) against stop disc 215. Operating link 199 is responsively pulled to the left, rotating swing arm 203 to the left against the tension of restoring spring 194, as until 196 strikes pad 215. This movement carries spring-loaded roller arm 207 and roller 208 to the left, roller 208 rollingly engaging and pressing against trimmed terminal ends 231, 241 to bend them to the left through the dotted line forming arc 218 of about degrees, to reach the folded-back formed position shown in FIG. 19. Roller-tension spring 212 yields as required to allow roller 208 and arm 207 to yield during the forming movement, member 207 rotating about pivot 206 for this purpose. Adequate forming force is supplied by the tension of spring 212.

When the energization of coil 210 is terminated, restoring spring 194 restores swing bracket 203, link 199, and armature 196, 197 to'the right to their illustrated normal position, wherein the armature is stopped by contact with stop pins 200, 201. As this movement occurs,

1 l 207 and 208 are restored, 207 being again brought against its stop pin 211 by forming-force spring 212.

(I) ELECTRICAL CONTROL APPARATUS Preferably, the operating motor 110 of FIGS. 1 and 4 is provided with the usual junction box (not shown) which may be secured to the welded frame structure beneath fixed table TC, and which box contains the usual push-button-controlled start and stop apparatus. Only one start push-button 76 (FIG. 2) is provided, attached to the xed table TC at operator position G4. When startbutton 76 is pushed momentarily, motor 110 is started and continues to run until a stop push-button 7S is momentarily operated. Preferably four stop push-buttons 75y are provided as shown in FIG. 2, the first between operator positions G1 and G2, the second between G2 and G3, the third beyond position G3, as for use by a supervisor orftrainer standing or sitting in the vicinity of stations S5 to S7, and the fourth push-button 75 at the right ofoperator position G4. The momentary pushing of any stop push-button 75 causes motor 110 to be shut olf and to remain shut off until start push-button 76 is again operated momentarily, as by the operator at G4.

The controls for energizing the brake assembly 74- of FIG. 1 and the cutoff and forming structures CO and F of FIGS. 3, and 7 to 10 are not shown as they are conventional and automatic, but they may be about asfollows:

Solenoid Winding 70 of brake assembly 74 (FIG. l) is preferably energized upon, or slightly before, the end of each described quarter-turn movement imparted to genevadriven wheel 144 by knob 147 carried by geneva-driven wheel 143; that is, brake application preferably occurs just at the end of any drive movement of rotatable table TB. This brake operation may be controlled within geneva-movement structure 140 by a cam-controlled switch (not shown) which closes an energizing circuit for brake solenoid 70 at the indicated instant, and maintains it closed for a desired interval, as until the next table TB movement is about to begin. Energization of coil 70 magnetically attracts cup member 67 downwardly toward fixed brake disc 71, bringing brake ring 69 into firm braking contact with disc 71, such braking contact being relaxed when 70` is next deenergized.

A second cam-controlled switch (not shown), preferably associated with a segment of wheel 143 remote from drive knob 147, is employed to energize the solenoid windings 162 and 210 (FIGS. 7 and 9) of the cutoff structure CO and former structure F, for perhaps half a second, during each stopped interval of table TB, with results as described. There are, of course, twelve of the described energizations of brake 74 and of devices CO and F for each revolution of table TB; that is, once for each of the twelve stops which any coil-support fixture 78 makes at the respective stations S1 to S12.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 4, the solder pot SP may be maintained heated electrically by the heating element HE indicated in dotted outline in FIG. l The flux pot FP may be similarly heated, or not, depending upon the consistency of the solder iiux used therein.

While I have described above the principles of my invention in connection with specific apparatus, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A coil-terminal assembly machine including: a movable member trained for movement along a closed path at least a portion of which is horizontal and along which portion are a plurality of Work stations spaced at least a given angular distance apart; ya plurality of spaced brackets mounted on said member for movement therewith, said brackets being spaced ,said angular distance apart,

each bracket including an arm having a free end; power means connected to said member to move said member and brackets in a given direction and to stop the brackets momentarily and successively at said work stations; coil holding fixture means for each bracket respectively, said fixture means being adapted to receive and carry a coil at a given orientation with respect to the fixture; and actuating means including said brackets to position said arm with said end upwardly at a first group of said stations and to position said arm generally horizontally at a second `group of said stations.

2. A machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said actuating means moves said fixture means to dip downwardly and upwardly at least twice as each fixture means traverses the portion of the path occupied by said second group of stations.

3.' A machine as set forth in claim 2, including a flux pot at one of the -pointsat which the fixture dips downwardly and a solder pot at the point of the next succeeding dip of said fixture means.

4. A machineas set forth in claim 3, including a cutoff device for the coil leads, said device being positioned at a station of said second` group succeeding, in said direction said second dip. l

5. A machine as set forth linclairn 4, including a forming device for the coil lea-ds to bend the leads to a position at which they extend closely along the coil surface, said forming device being positioned at a station succeeding the station at which the cutoff device is located.

6.V Anassemblymachinefor coils having a central opening therethrough, said machine including: .a frame having an upper generally horizontal support; a table mounted on said frame below said support for rotation about a vertical axis; a plurality of spaced bracketsmounted on said member for movement therewith, said brackets being spaced a given angular distance apart, each bracket including an arm havinga free end; powermeans connected to said table to rotate said table and brackets in a given direction and to stop the brackets momentarily and successively after each rotation of said angular distance; a coil holding fixture for each bracket respectively, saidV fixture `being mounted .at the free end of the respective bracket and having aiinger adapted to be received in said opening of a coil; a face cam having a cam track in one face thereof, saidcam being secured to said support with said track encircling said axis and facing said table; means including a carn follower in said track, said means being con.- nectedto said arm to position said arm in responseto the distance between saidtrackand saidy axis; saidk track having a configuration such that at a first group of said stations said arm is positioned'with said end upwardly and at a second group of stations said end is below said upwardly position.

7. AnA assembly machine for coils having a central opening therethrough, said machine including:- a frame having an upper .generally horizontal support; a table mounted on said frame below said support for rotation about a vertical axis; a plurality of spaced brackets mounted on said member for movement therewith, said brackets being spaced a given -angular distance apart, each bracket including 4an arm havin-g a free end; power means connected to said table to rotate said table and brackets in a given direction and to stop the brackets momentarily and successively after each rotation of said given angular distance; a coil holding fixture for each bracket respectively, said fixture being mounted at the free end of the respective bracket and having a finger adapted to be received in said opening of a coil; a face cam having a cam track in one face thereof, said cam being secured to said support with said track encircling said axis and facing said table; means including a cam fol-lower in said track, said means being connected to said arm to position said arm in resp'onse to the distance between said track and said axis; said track havingaconguration suchthat at aA first group .of

13 14 said stations said arm is positioned with said end up- References Cited by the Examiner wardly andV at a second group of stations'said end is below said upwardly position; means in the portion of the UNITED STATES PATENTS path occupied by said second group to solder the leads 0f 1,997,694 4/ 1935 Morick 29-25.2 the coils; a cut oi device for the coil leads, said device 5 2,086,852 7/ 1937 Bullard 29-38.1 being positioned at a station of said second group in Said 2,269,658 1/ 1942 George 29-33.8 direction from said soldering means; and a forming d 2,270,472 1/ 1942 Poole 29-33.8 vice for the coil leads, said forming device being at a sta- 2,429,938 10/1947 Mansfield 29--38.3 tion in said direction from said cut oi device; said devices 2,962,846 12/ 1960 Marandin 29-33.8

being operatively connected to said power means to be 10 actuated during the dwell periods of said table. RICHARD H. EANES, IR., Primary Examiner. 

1. A COIL-TERMINAL ASSEMBLY MACHINE INCLUDING: A MOVABLE MEMBER TRAINED FOR MOVEMENT ALONG A CLOSED PATH AT LEAST A PORTION OF WHICH IS HORIZONTAL AND ALONG WHICH PORTION ARE A PLURALITY OF WORK STATIONS SPACED AT LEAST A GIVEN ANGULAR DISTANCE APART; A PLURALITY OF SPACED BRACKETS MOUNTED ON SAID MEMBER FOR MOVEMENT THEREWITH, SAID BRACKETS BEING SPACED SAID ANGULAR DISTANCE APART, EACH BRACKET INCLUDING AN ARM HAVING A FREE END; POWER MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID MEMBER TO MOVE SAID MEMBER AND BRACKETS IN A GIVEN DIRECTION AND TO STOP THE BRACKETS MOMENTARILY AND SUCCESSIVELY AT SAID WORK STATIONS; COIL HOLDING FIXTURE MEANS FOR EACH BRACKET RESPECTIVELY, SAID FIXTURE MEANS BEING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AND CARRY A COIL AT A GIVEN ORIENTATION WITH RESPECT TO THE FIXTURE; AND ACTUATING MEANS INCLUDING SAID BRACKETS TO POSITION SAID ARM WITH SAID END UPWARDLY AT A FIRST GROUP OF SAID STATIONS AND TO POSITION SAID ARM GENERALLY HORIZONTALLY AT A SECOND GROUP OF SAID STATIONS. 